Molded pulp carton



Oct. 13, 1953 w, cox 2,655,303

MOLDED PULP CARTON Filed March 28, 1947 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR.

BY JaH/v W. Cox

A TTORNEYA' Oct. 13, 1953 J? w, c x 2,655,303

MOLDED PULP CARTON Filed March 28, 1947 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 I N VEN TOR.

BY /Z H/\/ M Cox fw mm hm ATTORNEYS Patented Oct. 13, 1953 UNITEDSTATES] OFFICE MOLDEfi PULP CARTON Ionii- W. Cox, Chicago; Ill.,.assignor to General Package corporation, a corporation of Dela-Appl'ioationllliaren 28, 1947, Serial No. 737.891

(01. mil-a) 11 Claims This invention pertains: to improvements in moldedpulp cartons, in particular those which areused to package eggs.

An object of the invention is to provide a mold ed carton which iseasily manufa ctured, being characterized by the outward angulardivergence of the top and bottom section side walls, which permits thecartons to be readily removed from the molding dies and drying forms onwhich such cartons are made and nested for shipment, while affordingincreased egg receiving space internally of the carton as compared toprevious cartons of this general type. h a

Another important object is that or providing a carton having the aboveadvantages which will fit into a standard egg case, each carton occupying no more space in the case than would a con-- ventional filler ofidenticaleg'g capacity, enabling the cartons to be packed 30 dozen to acase.

Still another important object of the invention is to provide a cartonwhich has great resistance to the vertical and lateral stresses to whicheg cartons are subjected, by reason of the novel construction or thecover and bottom sections thereof. J

Yet another object or the invention is the pro vision of a carton of theabove character which is readily divisible into two article containingportions. h

Another object of the invent-ion is to provide a carton of the foregoingtype having an effective lock whereby the carton sections may be heldtogether in their closed position, the look also functioning tostrengthen the carton against rupture or undue fiexnre.

Another highly important object is to provide a carton which achievesthe objects set oiit hereinabove and which additionally provides greaterinternal capacity in the cover section than in the bottom section, afactor of great importanc in egg cartons inasmuch as the-eggs are alwaysdis-- posed in the carton with the large end up.

The foregoing statements are indicative in a general way of the natureor the invention, but other and more specific objects will be apparentto those skilled the art upon a fun understanding of the constructionand operation or the 'device.

One embodiment of theinvention is presented herein for purpose ofexemplification, but it will Fig. 1 is a plan view of a carton embodyingthe invention as it appears when removed from the drying form;

Fig. 2 is an end elevation showing a plurality of the cartons as' theyappear when nested;

Fig. 3' is a perspective view of the carton as it appears when the coversection is being folded over into covering relation to the bottomsection;

Fig. 4 is an end elevation of the closed carton, illustratingparticularly the coplanar position assinned by the top panels of thecover section and the substantially paralIel, vertically extendingrelation assumed by the cover section side walls in the closed positionof the sections;

Fig. 5 is a front elevation of the carton in closed condition;

' Fig. 6 is a fragmentary plan view of one end of the closed cartonshown in Fig. 5, the top being broken away to show the position taken bycertain cover section wall gussets in the infolded. condition thereofattending closing of the carton;

Fig. '7 is a cross-sectional view taken on the line of Fig. 5v showingthe one end of a carton portion after division of a carton into twoportions less-than-dozen egg capacity;

.Fig. 8 is a fragmentary perspective of the closed carton with partsbroken away to further illustrate the position assumed by the coversection wall gussets in the closed position of the sec! tions;

Fig. 9 is an enlarged fragmentary view in horizontal section,illustrating the reduced thickness construction of the fold linesdefining certain gussets characterizing the carton; and

Fig. 10 is a fragmentary top perspective view illustrating a cartonembodying the present invention a slightly modified form.

The present invention pertains generally to a substantially flangeless,molded pulp carton which is of primary use as an egg container. Itconsists of a bottom section having walls extending angularly upwardlyfrom a bottom which is divided into a plurality of cells, the bottomsection being integrally hinged to a cover section which is foldableover into covering relation to the bottom section, the cover sectionbeing soformed thatv its walls are outwardly divergent in its openposition (as it leaves the molding form) but extend substantiallyvertically in the closed position of said section. In the last namedposition the walls are supported on the upper wall margins of the bottomsection whereby the cover is well supported against displacement underpressure. The cover afiords. greater article contain- 2 ing space thanis provided in the bottom section,

a matter of particular importance in egg cartons.

Referring to drawings, the reference numeral indicates a bottom wallconnecting panel which is traversed in both longitudinal and transversedirections by a plurality of angularly upwardly directedpartition-forming panels 2. These merge at their apices to definetwo-walled partitions forming the sides of adjacent article receivingcells. Panels 2 also merge with the sides of hollow cell separatingpyramids 3, and certain of the panels 2, adjacent the bottom sectionwalls, turn upwardly to merge with such walls. Numerals 4 and 5 indicatethe opposed bottom section walls and numerals 6 and 1 indicate,respectively, the opposed bottom section, rear, and-front side walls.The cells defined by the aforementioned elements are each of a sizeappropriate to contain an egg positioned therein with its small enddown. Horizontal cell-connecting ledges or shoulders 8 are formedlaterally of the upper wall margins of the bottom section, extendinginwardly of the walls thereof between each adjacent cell.

A locking flange I is formed-as an integral extension of bottom sectionfront wall I, and is bendable with respect to such front wall along aline of bend indicated by numeral 9. Flange I0 has a downwardly directedV-shaped notch formed therein which traverses a substantial portion ofthewidth of such flange. At opposed ends of flange H! are lookingtongues i2 which are insertable into certain openings of the coversection to lock the sections in closed relation.

Horizontal corner flanges i3 are located on the upper margin of thebottom section, between the sides and ends thereof. These extendoutwardly of the section perimeter at the corners thereof, but still liewithin the outlines defined by the wall margins if the same wereextended to meet at right angles.

The bottom section is hinged to a cover section, hereinafter described,along a hinge or fold line [4. As shown, the cover section is formed ofplanar parts throughout. It comprises a twopart top, including similarfront and rear panels l5, "5, respectively, integrally connected to oneanother along a line of bend l1. As particularly shown in Fig. 2, panelsl5, l6 are in non-coplanar relation to each other in the open positionof the sections. A planar front side wall l8, a similar rear side walll9, and opposed end walls 20, 2| are integrally connected to and dependfrom the top panels |5, |6. End walls 20, 2| are preferably molded at anangle of greater than 90 with respect to panels |5, |6 (see Figs. and6), while front and rear side walls |8, |9 are molded at about a 90angle to panels IS, IS, as illustrated in Fig. 2. End walls 2|], 2| arejoined to front and rear side walls l8, I9 by angularly extending cornerpanels, each of which is indicated by numeral 22. Along their freemargins corner panels 22 have integral, outwardly extending cornerflanges 23 similar to bottom section flanges l3 and abutting the latterin the closed position of the sections.

Referring particularly to Figs. 2 and 3, the end walls 20, 2| havetriangular, inwardly bendable gussets formed therein, each comprisingtwo triangles 24, 25 connected to one another along a Cover section toppanels l5, l6 are traversed in major part by traversely extending,angular indentations comprising the angularly directed panels 29 whichmeet along a weakened score line 30, thus forming a V-shaped recesswhich extends inwardly of the carton top section from the opposed topsection side walls |8, IS. AS shown in Fig. 5, the indentation is of thesame angularity as notch II in the externally bendable locking flange H3and coincides with said notch in the closed position of the sections.Adjacent their inner ends the indentations formed by panels 29 mergewith the angularly upstanding inverted triangular webs 3| which extendupwardly, as particularly shown in Fig. 7, to the full height of panelsI5, I6, their bases merging with bend line H. Score line 30 mediallytraverses webs 3| as well as the top section, front, and rear side wallsAs shown in Figs. 1, 3 and 5, the entire bottom section is alsotraversed by a weakened score line 32 which extends from the apex ofnotch l across.

locking flange H3, medially across the middle cover supporting shoulders8, through the apices of adjoining partition forming panels 2 andmedially of an article separating pyramid 3. It will be noted that scorelines 30, 32 are in vertical alignment, thus defining a vertical planealong which the carton may be divided into two portions.

As particularly shown in Fig. 3, cover section front wall It! has a pairof spaced, vertically extending openings 33 formed therein, suchopenings being in vertical alignment with spaces between adjacentarticle receiving cells. Said openings 33 are adapted to receive andfrictionally hold locking tabs H on the flange l8 when the cartonsections are closed, to lock the carton and retain locking flange It] insecure surface abutment with front cover section wall IS.

The cartons forming the invention are moldable in conventional manner.When removed from the drying forms each has the shape of those cartonsshown in Figs. 1 and 2. the side walls |8, |9 assuming the position ofangular divergence clearly shown in Fig. 2. Side walls 20,

2| are formed in angular divergence from their wall connecting panels asalso are bottom section mits nesting of a number of cartons into aneasily handled stack and easy unnesting of individual cartons from thestack for use.

When the cover section is folded over the bottom section along hingeline 14, as shown in Fig. 3, a slight pressure on front and rear walls i8, l9 causes the gusset formed by triangles 24, 25 to fold inwardly ofthe coversection, triangles 24,

25 folding with respect to each other along fold line 26 and withrespect to cover section end walls 2| 2| along fold lines 2?, 28. At thesame time top panels l5, l6 are bent with respectto each other from thedivergent, non-coplanar position shown in Fig. 2 to the substantiallycoplanar position shown in Fig. 4, and front and rear cover sectionwalls i8, i9 assume positions.

substantially vertical to the upper margins of bottom section walls 6,I.

As shown in Figs. 6 and 8, when the cover section is folded over intocomplete covering relation to the bottom section, as shown in Fig. 4,triangles 24, 25 are in face-to-face contacting relation, with theirbases supported upon a shoulaacaaos der 8 at the end of the bottomsection. Where, as shown on the drawings, the width of top panels I5, l6corresponds to the width of the bottom section wall margins, coversection walls l8, l9 assume a substantially parallel relation with thefree edges of front side wall [8 resting upon other shoulders 8 adjacentthe upper margin of bottom section front wall 1. In closed condition ofthe cartons the cover section affords augmented space for the large endsof the eggs projecting thereinto, as compared to conventional cartonshaving covers characterized by slop ing walls. It. will be noted that inthe closed position of the sections the outwardly directed cornerflanges l3 and 23 of the bottom and cover section, respectively, meet inabutment.

When front and rear sidewalls I 8, l9'are in the position noted above,lockingflange l may be bent over from the outwardly directed angularposition shown in Figs. 2 and 3 along line of bend 9 into exteriorsurface abutment with cover section side wall 58, as shown in Fig. 4,and end hooks 12 may be inserted into openings 33, thereby loclzing thesections together.

The abutting relation between the free edges of triangles 24, 25- andshoulders 8, supplemented by the support given by the abutment of thefree edges of cover section front wall ill with other shoulders 8, andthe abutment of corner-flanges i3, 23 with one another, gives excellentsupport to the cover section against vertical pressures. When lookingflange it is positioned against and affixed to cover section wall I8additional resistance to vertical pressures is afforded. The lookingflange in its vertical position strengthens the sections against lateralpressures and prevents any tendency of the cover to telescope over thebottom section.

It will be noted that the planar form of the cover section top panelsand walls, and thesimilar form of the locking flange, provide anexcellent surface for application thereto of printing, such as a design,advertising matter, etc.

The carton may be easily divided by firmly grasping one end comprisinghalf. the carton and by applying pressure in a direction away from thejuncture of triangular webs 3i and fold line H. Upon such manipulation,initial rupture usually occurs at the juncture of weakened score line 39and fold line [1, andcomplete severance will occur along weakened score;lines 30, 32.. As shown in Fig. 7 each severed portion will then haveone cover section indentation wall Z9. and one bottom section partitionwall 2-, as egg retaining ends.

In order to facilitate inward disposition of the end gussets defined bytriangles 24, 25, it is highly desirable in all embodiments that thegusset fold or bend lines 26, 21, 28 be weakened somewhat. To this endsaid lines are molded in a lessened thickness, as illustrated in Fig. 9,by a procedure well understood by those skilled in the art. This enablesthe gusset-s to be collapsed inwardly by a slight finger pressurecoincident with the swinging of the cover section into closing relationto the bottom section and eggs disposed therein.

In Fig. I illustrate a slightly modified application of the invention toa carton, by which some saving in pulp material is possible. Theadvantageous features discussed above are retained. In the form of Fig.10, it will be observed that the end gusset is relatively open, thegusset members 24, being spaced and at a substantial angle to oneanother, rather than in the side by-side contacting relation illustratedin Figs. 1 to 8. A tripod-like support for the cover end wall results,which rests on the subjacent shoulder or ledge 8 and contributes to avery strong and crush resistant coverindeed.

I have disclosed a specific cover construction enabling successfulmolding of the carton in a conventional die, yet affording increased eggspace and a very strongly braced construction in operative condition,characterized by a laterally collapsible, integral gusset feature. Itwill be evident to those skilled in the art that the foregoingadvantages may be attained by modifications of structure well within thenovel principies of construction herein involved. Accordingly, I do. notwish to be restricted to the exact form or relation of parts shownexcept as limited by'thei scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A molded pulp carton comprising a bottom section having upstandingwalls, the space between the walls being divided into a plurality ofarticle receiving cells, a cover-section comprising a top of an overallwidth corresponding to that of the bottom section, said top having pairsof opposed side and endwalls attached thereto and being traversed by abendline between opposite margins thereof, at least two of said wallsbeing in non-parallel relation in the unclosed position of the cover,saidtop being bendable along said bend line to shift said two wallstoward parallel relation in the closed position of the cover.

2. A molded pulp carton comprising hingedly connected bottom and coversections, one thereof comprising plural, normally'non-coplanar panelsbendabl-y joined together and having a pair of walls extendingdivergently from the sides thereof in the inoperativeposi-tion of saidsection, said panels being bendable toward a coplanar relation to shiftsaid pair of walls toward a less divergent relation in the operativeposition of the cover section.

3. A molded cellular carton comprising a bottom section divided intoaplurality ofarticle receiving cells and having angularly upstanding sideand end walls, a cover section integrally hinged to the bottom section,including a top having two panels integrally and bendablyconnected toone anotherand' normally disposed in angular, non-coplanar relation toone another in the open position ofthe cover, opposed side wallslaterally connected to said panels and outwardly divergent in the openposition of thesestions, and opposed end walls connected to the ends ofthe panels, said end walls being soconstructedand arranged as to permitbending of said panels along the bendable connection thereof towardcoplanar relation in the closed position of the sections, therebybringing the side walls into a less divergent relation to form a coverof substantially rectangular cross section.

4. In a molded pulp container, a bottom section having upstanding wallsand ledges formed adjacent the upper wall margins, and a cover sectionintegrally hinged to the bottom section and comprising a multiple paneltop having pairs of planar side and end Walls dependent therefrom, thepanels of said top normally being in angularly divergent, non-coplanarrelation to each other and said side and end walls being in angularlydivergent relation to each other in the open position of said coversection, the panels forming the top being bendable to..

ward coplanar relation to shift the walls of one of said pairs into lessangular relation in operative condition of the cover section, the freeedges or the cover section walls abutting the bottom section ledges inclosed position of the sections.

5. In a molded carton, a bottom section, a cover section hinged to andfoldable over the bottom section, one of said sections comprising agenerally planar multi-panel top having pairs of opposed side and endwalls extending therefrom in outwardly divergent relation in the openposition of the sections, which walls engage marginal portions of thebottom section in the closed position of the sections, and flexiblegussets in two of said opposed wallswhich are foldable to permit theother two opposed walls to assume greater verticality in the closed thanin the open position of the sections.

6. 'A'molded pulp carton comprising a'bottom section having upstandingwalls and article containing cells formed within the walls, there beingsupporting shoulders formed adjacent the wall margin between certainadjacent cells, a cover section having integrally connected, outwardlydivergent side and end walls in the open position of the former, the endwalls having gussets formed therein which are foldable internally of thecover section to permit the side walls to assume positions of lessdivergence in the closed than in the open position of the sections, saidgussets abutting said supporting shoulders in the closed position of thesections to give'support to the cover section against verticalpressures.

'7. A molded pulp carton comprising a bottom section divided byupstanding partitions into a plurality of article receiving cells, acover section integral with said bottom section and foldable thereoverinto covering relation, said cover section comprising a top panel havingside walls dependent therefrom in outwardly divergent relation in theopen position of the cover and in such position having a width acrossthe lower edges of the walls greater than the width across the upperedges of the bottom section, and end walls integrally connected to saidpanel and side walls, portions of said cover section being bendablyconnected to bring said side walls into abutment with the upper edges ofthe bottom section in the closed condition of the carton.

8. A molded pulp carton comprising a bottom section divided byupstanding partitions into a plurality of article receiving cells, acover section integral with said bottom section and foldable thereoverinto covering relation, said cover section having a top wall connectingportion hav- 8 ing side and end walls laterally attached thereto. saidwalls being in outwardly divergent relation in the open position of thecover and in'such position having a peripheral dimension along the loweredges of the walls greater than the peripheral dimension of the upperedges of the bottom section, portions of said cover section beingbendably connected to bring said walls into abutment with the upperedges of the bottom section in the closed position of the sections, insuch position said cover section having a peripheral dimension along thelower edges of the walls corresponding to the peripheral dimension ofthe upper edges of the bottom section.

9. A molded pulp container, comprising a bottom section having ledgesadjacent two opposite walls, a cover section having opposed downwardlyextending walls, and two in-fold sections formed in each of two oppositewalls thereof, said infold sections having a common fold line and beingpositioned above said ledges.

10. A molded pulp carton, comprising a bottom having rows ofegg-receiving cells, a cover formed of two sections flexibly joinedlongitudinally, each of said sections being divided by a transversedepression positioned between adjacent rows of cells in said bottom,which depression terminates short of the junction of said sections.

11. A molded pulp carton, comprising a bottom section having rows ofegg-receiving cells, a cover formed of two sections flexibly joinedlongitudinally between adjacent rows of cells in said bottom, eachofsaid sections being divided by a transverse depression positionedbetween adjacent rows of cells in said bottom, which depressionterminates short of the junction of said sections, downwardly extendingfront, rear and end walls on said cover, and in-folded gussets in saidend walls extending adjacent the junction of said sections.

JOHN W. COX.

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